Quote Rob Wire="Rob Wire"If your talking about the spine of a team being made up from academy players then thats a bit rich coming from a club that virtually bought their success during the 80's and early 90's, in the main you went with proven ability over academy players, look at the long list of players that Wigan have shipped out over the years that came through the academy and instead you replaced them with foriegners or the best british players you could buy.
Back in the 80's and 90's you had an open cheque book, if you wanted a player you got them ahead of academy players. You produced a few players from the academy during your success but that was just law of averages more than anything else compared to the amount you shipped out. Its only in recent times that you have gone with more academy players and thats not by choice, thats because of the salary cap.'"
80s and 90s?
Edwards, Gregory, Hampson, Dermott, Betts, Clarke, Robinson, Farrell, Haughton, Lydon, Radlinski. All these before 94 and im sure there are more. All Wigan lads.
The problem with the academy is you can only keep so many. We had to let Long go because we had Edwards and so on. Who are all these academy guys who are good enough to get into the team who we have replaced with Aussies? How many Home grown players do you have in your 1-17 first squad? 3....is the answer. Compare that to us....6 over a third. Please dont come out with inaccurate facts eh.
...Exactly Wigan also used Great Britain tours to unsettle players aswell....
